Chapter 64: The Prolonged War

He was now Zheng Sen’s advisor, and he had to come forward to handle many matters. Having an official title would make things much more convenient, and others would not dare to look down on him.

“Sir’s words are reasonable,” Zou Weilian nodded, stroking his beard. “But sir is only a scholar. There is no precedent in this dynasty for a scholar to enter the officialdom.”

“The court is in a tight spot because of the border affairs, and they have recently opened up the ‘li jian’ system. I have already sent someone to handle it.”

The so-called “li jian” was a system in the Ming Dynasty that, after the Tumu Crisis, in order to raise military funds and provisions, ordered all scholars in the country to contribute grain and horses to obtain the qualification of a student of the Imperial Academy. It was equivalent to buying a title with money and grain. The status of this kind of student was very low, and they were looked down upon in society. However, once one became a student of the Imperial Academy, it was possible to be appointed to an official position according to precedent. Especially in the late Ming Dynasty, various systems tended to be chaotic, which opened the door for all kinds of fraud. If Qian Taichong could obtain the qualification of a student, as long as Zou Weilian was willing to help, it would not be a problem to get a small official position or a nominal post.

Zou Weilian smiled slightly, “I didn’t expect Mr. Qian to be so resourceful.”

Qian Taichong trembled, and quickly lifted his robe and knelt down, “I dare not! How dare I show off my little tricks in front of you, my lord? It is really a last resort, all for the sake of the court and the country, for the long-term peace and stability of Fujian. Please, my lord, see it clearly!”

“Why go to such lengths, why go to such lengths,” Zou Weilian raised his hand. “I understand your intentions completely. As long as you serve the court well, you will surely have a good future.” He pondered for a moment and said, “If the ‘li jian’ is done, I will add your name to the list of meritorious officials in the great victory at Xiamen Island.”

“Thank you for your help, my lord!”

Qian Taichong hurried back from Fuzhou and gathered his subordinates, including the capable figures among the former subordinates of Zheng Zhiguan. He arranged the matters concerning the funeral of Zheng Zhilong one by one. Qian Taichong wanted to hold a grand funeral to declare Zheng Sen’s status as the legitimate son of the Zheng family and the head of the Zheng clan.

“This is a very powerful move, beautifully done!” Jiang Shan commented in his office after reading the report that had just been delivered. “The generals of the Zheng family are going to go crazy. If they don’t go, they will be disloyal, unfilial, unrighteous, and unjust. If they go, it will be equivalent to admitting that Zheng Sen is the leader of the Zheng clan.” He looked up at Wang Ding, the director of the analysis department. “Who is this Qian Taichong next to Zheng Sen?”

“He is a former advisor to Shi Bangyao, the Guangdong Left Political Commissioner and Hainan Dao Administrator. He was captured by us in the Battle of Chengmai and worked as a laborer for more than two years. He was only released this spring,” Wang Ding said, taking out a paper file. “This is the material I have retrieved about him.”

“I didn’t expect him to be such a talent in this area,” Jiang Shan said as he flipped through the file. “In this way, the matter of the Zheng family will be even more magnificent.”

Li Yan coughed, “If the Zheng family is really reintegrated by him and it is not good for us, I think it would be better to eliminate him directly.”

Jiang Shan was not concerned, “It doesn’t matter. The show is only good when someone is making a fuss. We can also see how much ability such a schemer has to turn the tide.”

Wang Ding said, “From the current situation, even if this Qian Taichong can reintegrate the remnants of the Zheng family, I’m afraid it will be difficult to restore the situation where Zheng Zhilong dominated the Fujian seas.”

“That’s right,” Jiang Shan took out a cigar, struck a match, lit it, and took a deep puff. “The colonial and trade departments are planning to launch two commercial campaigns to completely destroy the last lifeline of the Zheng family.”

“You mean the plan to monopolize trade with Japan and the Philippines that was discussed at the Standing Committee of the Senate not long ago?”

“That’s right,” Jiang Shan said. “The Zheng family’s money didn’t fall from the sky. As long as we can cut off these two trade routes, they will be finished. Not to mention Qian Taichong, even if Zhuge Wuhou and Liu Bowen were all resurrected and reincarnated as advisors to Zheng Sen, it would be difficult to turn the tide.”

The Zheng clan, which had lost most of its fleet and a large amount of capital, was now like a severely wounded patient who had just recovered from the shock of massive blood loss. Even if they recovered, they would need long-term nutritional supplements to gradually recover. The trade war against the Philippines and Japan was to cut off these two infusion tubes that were crucial to the survival of the Zheng clan.

“As for the chaos in Zhangzhou Bay, I don’t think Zheng Zhifeng and the Zheng Lian brothers will surrender so easily. There will be another good show of fierce fighting. We can just watch quietly from the sidelines.”

“How should we deal with the family members of the Zheng family who have been transported to Hong Kong?” Wang Ding asked. “There are quite a few family members of important figures among them.”

“The Executive Committee has already given a reply on this matter, agreeing to our proposal to demand a ransom. They have sent people to send a list to various places in Xiamen, allowing them to name and redeem people,” Jiang Shan said. “The Executive Committee has also instructed us to formulate a detailed price list for the ransom based on the list to maximize profits.”

“Isn’t it a bit of a pity…”

“Not at all. What’s the use of keeping these people in our hands? Send them to work? That would be a waste,” Li Yan said with a smile.

“Next, let’s discuss the work in Dengzhou.”

The cold wind was biting, and snowflakes were fluttering. Lu Wenyan stood on the tower of the stockade on Qimu Island, tightening the thick cotton coat on his body. The snowflakes were as big as palms, falling in a flurry, and in a short while, they had sprinkled a thin layer of powder on the ground before him.

The winter of 1632 was very cold. The first snow had fallen in Jiaodong just as October began. Lu Wenyan knew from the historical meteorological data sent from the Great Library that this would be a very cold winter, and even Lingao would have heavy snow.

However, compared to last winter, the most critical time on Qimu Island had passed. Now, “Lord Lu” was already a “local tyrant” on the Jiaodong Peninsula.

Taking advantage of the Dengzhou rebellion, his “militia” had occupied the Zhaoyuan area, established more than a dozen stockades, and controlled tens of thousands of people, making them a semi-independent force.

Not only did the government look at him with new eyes, but even the rebels did not dare to provoke him. The troops flying the flag of Qimu Island traveled unimpeded in this area.

Lord Lu was also quite proud of his achievements. Except for a short summer break during the typhoon season, the Qimu Island side had been taking in and sending out refugees throughout 1632. They had taken in more than 180,000 refugees and sent out more than 100,000 refugees. Many places in the three eastern prefectures had now become barren and uninhabited. The people were either killed or captured by the rebels, or they had fled to Longkou and Zhaoyuan. Most of them had been sent to Hainan, Jeju, and Taiwan, becoming indentured servants under the Senate.

However, this great chaos in Dengzhou was gradually coming to an end. In the eighth lunar month of the fifth year of Chongzhen, Zhu Dadian led the troops of the Shandong field camp to defeat the rebels at the Shahe River, and then pursued them all the way to Laizhou. They defeated the elite cavalry led by Kong Youde, and Laizhou City was officially relieved.

On the twelfth day of the ninth lunar month of the fifth year of Chongzhen, the officers and soldiers of the Shandong field camp attacked Huangxian County with their victory. The officers and soldiers fought with the rebels at Beima Town. The rebels came out in full force, claiming to have an army of 100,000, including 10,000 cavalry. In the end, the rebels were defeated, with 13,000 killed, 800 captured, and countless who drowned in the sea. The government forces recaptured Huangxian County. Jin Guoqi and others pursued them to Dengzhou and set up camp outside the west gate.

Lord Lu, as a “local gentry,” was recommended by Sun Yuanhua and other civil and military officials who had defended the city because of his meritorious service in defending Laizhou and “protecting the territory and pacifying the people” in Huangxian County. After the war, he was personally received by Zhu Dadian, Xie Sanbin, and Gao Qiqian, who promised to reward him according to his merits in the security case.

Lu Wenyan put on a grateful expression and kowtowed to the several adults, cursing them secretly in his heart. After the official matters were over, he privately “paid a visit” to these adults and presented each of them with a generous gift. The gift for Zhu Dadian was particularly generous.

Because Dengzhou had been held for eight months, the court, as usual, rewarded and comforted the officials, generals, and gentry who had meritorious service in defending the city. Sun Yuanhua did not receive a reward, but he was exempted from being dismissed and questioned. He continued to serve in the army with the demoted status of the governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou. Lord Lu was given the qualification to “study in the Imperial Academy,” which meant he became a “student of the Imperial Academy,” equivalent to a scholar. Even Feng Zongze was rewarded with the military rank of “xiaoqi.”

Now Zhu Dadian and others were most concerned about capturing Dengzhou and completely resolving the Dengzhou rebellion. But for Lu Wenyan, this matter could not end so quickly. Otherwise, if these tens of thousands of officers and soldiers wiped out Kong Youde in one go, and his own tens of thousands of people were entrenched in Zhaoyuan and Longkou, with people and grain, and had won a victory, what if the triumphant officers and soldiers had any ideas?

A few days ago, Xie Sanbin had already sent someone to send a letter, asking him to prepare a thousand shi of grain and three thousand civilian laborers to be used at the front.

“Hmph, you think I’m a fat pig coming to the door?” Lu Wenyan thought to himself. He immediately told the messenger to go back and report with a pleasant expression, saying that although he was also very difficult, he did not dare to be careless about serving the court, but he needed a few days to prepare.

He looked at the increasingly dense snow and thought of the telegram he had received a few days ago. The Engine Action Command had already agreed to his proposal to prolong the Dengzhou rebellion: let the rebels inflict another heavy blow on the government forces. The government forces would then win a tragic victory with his support when they were in a precarious situation. It would be best to lose a few more civil and military officials. In this way, from strength to morale, the government forces would no longer have any ideas of coveting him, and his goal of occupying Zhaoyuan would be achieved.

“With the heavy snow, grain will inevitably be the focus of the army,” Lu Wenyan thought. “As long as the grain is lost, the officers and soldiers currently gathered under Dengzhou City will be in chaos without a fight…”

Xie Sanbin was now in charge of supervising the grain in Huangxian County. The grain was transported from Qingzhou and was transshipped by Yang Jin, the Qingzhou Dao. The soldiers at Zhuqiao and Huangshanguan received it in turn. If the rebels could launch a surprise attack and break through Zhuqiao or Huangshanguan, the grain transportation would be interrupted.